Gamely distance should be perfect for Public Assembly, D'Amato says

ARCADIA, Calif. - In the last month, the 4-year-old filly Public Assembly has gone from a maiden race winner to a contender in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita on May 26.

Bought for $225,000 at Keeneland last November, Public Assembly won her California debut in an allowance race at 1 1/4 miles on turf on March 30 in her first start of 2025, and followed with a win in her first start in a stakes in Saturday’s Grade 3 Royal Heroine Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf.

Ridden by Antonio Fresu, Public Assembly (8-1) closed from sixth of 11 to win by 1 3/4 lengths over 28-1 Sun Of Hill. The first two finishers are trained by Phil D’Amato, who said the $300,000 Gamely Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf for fillies is a goal for both runners.

“Timing-wise, it makes sense,” he said. “That would be the main focus.”

Public Assembly, D’Amato said on Sunday, emerged from the $103,000 Royal Heroine “in good shape.”

Considering Public Assembly won an allowance race at a longer distance as well as Saturday’s shorter race, D’Amato expressed hope that the Gamely distance will be a good fit for Public Assembly, who races for the syndicates Abbondanza Racing and Medallion Racing.

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“I think it will be perfect,” D’Amato said of the distance.

Sun Of Hill was a Group 1 winner in Brazil in 2023 and had her best result in the United States in her sixth appearance in this country in the Royal Heroine despite a troubled start.

“She took a giant step forward after breaking in the air,” D’Amato said. “If she broke sharper, would have given the other filly a run for her money.”

D’Amato had four fillies and mares in the Royal Heroine, including Eternal Reign, who finished sixth, and Uncorked, who finished 10th after racing near the front to early stretch under jockey Mike Smith. D’Amato said Uncorked struggled over a course that sustained approximately a half-inch of rain earlier on Saturday.

“Mike said she was bobbling all over the place,” D’Amato said. “She’s given me a few sub-par performances. We might try a shorter race.”

Public Assembly was D’Amato first stakes win of 2025, an uncharacteristic drought for a trainer who won 36 stakes in 2024.

“It will come around,” he said on Sunday.

Later on Sunday at Santa Anita, D’Amato won the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on turf with Jungle Peace.

D’Amato has stakes runners at Churchill Downs and Santa Anita on Saturday and three nominees to the $100,000 Santa Barbara Stakes at Santa Anita on May 4.

At Churchill Downs on Saturday, D’Amato has entered Unconquerable Keen in the Grade 3 Twin Spires Turf Sprint, Iron Man Cal in the Grade 1 American Turf Stakes, and Gold Phoenix in the Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic.

At Santa Anita on the same day, City Exile and Divin Propos may start in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf, he said.

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